There’s enough uranium dissolved in the oceans to power the world for 100,000 years and more. The good news is that there’s a known chemical reaction and method for capturing it, albeit at a cost ($200/kg) about twice that of getting U-238 from mining uranium ore on land. This post summarizes four recent announcements.
The two sides prioritize vastly different policy goals. Broadly speaking, Republicans want to accelerate the approval process for pipelines and other fossil fuel projects, while Democrats have tried to speed the construction of the electric transmission lines needed to carry clean power.
New fusion announcements and next-generation fission reactors appear to be viable sooner than expected. (1) See “Microsoft Bets That Fusion Power Is Closer Than Many Think” and (2) Andreesen-Horowitz leads Series B for Radiant Industries (air-cooled, 1-megawatt nuclear reactors, the size of a shipping container). See also Aalo. The promise: non-interruptible, clean power at 3 cents / kwh.
Note: We at CCL are working hard to speed the transition to clean energy. Getting to NET ZERO (and even to negative emissions to move back from the brink) requires removing CO2 from the air. Here are two projects to keep an eye on.
The White House on Wednesday endorsed a plan by Senator Joe Manchin III to speed the approval of some fossil fuel projects in order to also hasten the construction of new transmission lines critical for meeting President Biden’s climate goals.
[Editor: When private companies bet on tech that not supposed to be ready until the 30’s (or 40’s), I pay attention!] Scientists have been dreaming about nuclear fusion for decades. Microsoft thinks the technology is…
This is a good summary of the differences between Republican and Democratic proposal re “Permitting Reform.”
Spoiler Alert: The answer to the question in the title is “Probably, no.” 😉
Editor: New authority being used to fast-track a mining project in Arizona. Can Nevada be far behind?
The Biden administration is moving to expedite the review and approval of a manganese and zinc mine in southern Arizona, setting up a standoff with a local …
from NY Times If the regulation is implemented, it will be the first time the federal government has limited carbon emissions from existing power plants, which generate 25 percent of U.S. greenhouse gases. By Coral Davenport and Lisa…
from Reno Gazette Journal.
Editor’s Note: This is a major report on privatized water in the Reno area.
A small Nevada company spent decades buying water. As the West dries up, it’s cashing out.
This rural, wind-swept basin, close to high-voltage transmission corridors, is well-situated for installing a massive wind farm to feed the nation’s growing need for renewable power. But this stretch of sagebrush country in southern Idaho is also the site of one of the darkest chapters of America’s past.
CCL has released a short, simple, easy way for community leaders to endorse carbon fee and dividend. Just ask them to visit CCLUSA.org/endorse and add their name. Here’s a two-minute video showing you how.
